USS Hercules (AK-41)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
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| Ordered: | as SS Exporter, (C3-E) hull |
| Laid down: | date unknown |
| Launched: | 18 July 1939 |
| Acquired: | 15 July 1941 |
| Commissioned: | 30 November 1942 |
| Decommissioned: | 28 June 1946 |
| Struck: | date unknown |
| Fate: | scrapped in 1971 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 5,150 t.(lt) |
| Length: | 473 ft 1 in (144.20 m) |
| Beam: | 66 ft (20 m) |
| Draught: | 27 ft 2 in (8.28 m) |
| Propulsion: | (system type unknown), single screw |
| Speed: | 16 knots (30 km/h) |
| Complement: | 129 |
| Armament: | one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount; four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts |
USS Hercules (AK-41) was an Hercules-class transport commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering necessary goods and equipment to ships and stations in the war zone.
Hercules (AK-41), ex-SS Exporter, was launched 18 July 1939 by the Fore River Shipbuilding Co., Quincy, Massachusetts, for American Export Lines Inc. Acquired by the Navy 15 July 1941, she continued to be operated by civilian crews until 30 November 1942, when she commissioned at San Francisco, California, Comdr. W. H. Turnquist, USNR, in command.
Departing San Francisco 18 December, Hercules reached Noumea, New Caledonia, 6 January 1943 to discharge her cargo. She returned to San Francisco 20 February and repeated the voyage from 11 March to 5 July. Hercules sailed for Pearl Harbor 6 August and reached Hawaii 6 days later. As flagship for Admiral Willis A. Lee, CTF 11, she sailed for action 25 August and on 1 September was off Baker Island as the Army began occupation. Remaining off Baker Island until 16 September discharging cargo, Hercules returned to Pearl Harbor and from there sailed for San Francisco.
Taking on passengers and cargo, she sailed again for the Pacific war areas 13 October, reaching Funafuti, Ellice Islands, 14 November after discharging cargo at Pearl Harbor. After miscellaneous cargo trips in the southern Pacific, Hercules returned to Pearl 28 January 1944 for repairs. Two round-trips with cargo and passengers to San Francisco brought her into the summer and on 30 May she sailed with the initial invasion force for Saipan. Hercules reached Saipan 15 June, D-Day, and remained there discharging cargo until 24 June. Although Japanese planes filled the air and attacked her several times, Hercules emerged unscathed as American forces continued to sweep across the island to Japan. Departing Saipan 24 June, she returned to Pearl Harbor and from there sailed to Guadalcanal.
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